SEBASTIAN — Repairs to city playgrounds are nearly complete, and crews hope to finish refurbishing the Creative Playground at the Barber Street Sports Complex by Feb. 2.

Among the safety issues discovered were problems at the playground at Riverview Park along the waterfront. A play structure there had too much space between the deck and a rail and a child could have had his or her head caught, so the city shut down the playground immediately.

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Brady Knight jumps off the 'plank' while playing on the newly installed Jolly Voyager Pirate Ship Playground at the Barber Street Sports Complex in December 2012.(Photo11: SAM WOLFE/TCPALM)

Rather than repairing the playground equipment at Riverview Park, the city replaced it with two new play structures, one designed for children 2-5 and the other for ages 5-12. A new protective surface was placed around the equipment to cushion any falls and the park reopened at the end of December.

At Barber Street, inspectors identified a missing part on a ladder and rusted-out equipment. However, the city had to wait for parts from the manufacturer for the aging play structure, and kept the playground closed since July.

“The parts for the playground have now arrived,” said City Parks Administrator Margarita Hernandez. “They are being installed and we have set a target date for reopening by the end of next week.”

Next up is installation of new surfaces under playground equipment at five city parks.